Philosophy
The Essential Yoga Sutra
by Geshe Michael Roach
The
Yoga Sutra of Patanjali is a classic Sanskrit treatise
consisting of 195 “threads,” or
aphorisms, describing the process of liberation through yoga. Although little
is known about Patanjali (most scholars estimate that he lived in India circa
200–300 b.c.), his writings have long been recognized as a vital contribution
to the philosophy and practice of yoga. This new, expert translation of the
original Sanskrit is expressed in accessible, plain-language English. The
index of important ideas is especially helpful. There are hundreds of entries
like,
breath control, anxiety, love, yoga poses, etc to make it easy for the reader
of this book to zero in on the wisdom they seek.
Patanjali organized the sutra into four parts:
Samadhi (absorption), Sadhana (practice), Vibhuti (supernatural powers), and
Kaivalya (liberation). Each represents a step in breaking free of our limited
definition of consciousness and training the mind to achieve oneness with the
universe.
Geshe Michael Roach and Christie McNally are each
respected teachers of Tibetan Buddhism in America and renowned scholars of
Sanskrit. Their notes and clarification are straightforward and highly readable.
Their
sanskrit transliterations are easy to pronounce. |
